The Next Step . . .

I was never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, so when I withdrew from the Fall semester this past Thursday, I knew it was the opportunity I have been dreaming of for quite some time now. For years I have been day dreaming of being a full time photographer. No other obligations; just being able to focus on creating. I came close a few times, but never made the leap. Life being full of bills and obligations – ‘adulting’ and all. Lately though, with the help of a few pretty amazing individuals, I started making some pretty tough choices. I dug deep, faced some harsh realities and discovered inner peace like I have truly never experienced before. That sounds slightly corny I know – cue the eye roll if you must. It is complete honesty though. Facing demons, no matter how unpleasant, clears the way for so much potential and opportunity.

August seen the end of my part time job, withdrawal from university and absolutely no solid plans for the future. Sound terrifying? It was. I had moments of extreme panic. I mean I’m not 18 and lord knows I lost my impulsive side years ago. I’m a planner by nature. I always have a backup plan – even for my backup plan. I never leave a job without another lined up and feel most comfortable when my bank account has a steady influx of fuel for its belly. I’m responsible to the core. Sturdy, dependable, and resilient as they come.

So you can imagine the knot in my stomach. I’m convinced it was accompanied by a few dozen butterflies. But the panic subsided fairly quickly and I was left feeling free. Incredibly exhilarated, actually. This was my time. The time I had wished for and prayed for – it was mine for the taking. So after discussing things with Vic, we decided I HAD to go for. To give myself the time to nourish my creative side; to see if I could make the long-time dream into a reality.

And it all begins Monday morning (TOMORROW!) at 9am. I will be taking bookings with NO blackout period for work or school as I take the step into full time entrepreneurship! (Gosh putting that into words is daunting!) But it doesn’t end there. I’m going to be transitioning my blog into a lifestyle blog. Initially I was going to have one blog for my photography work and one my writing and life, but I’m not simply one or the other. Photography is a part of who I am, for sure, but I want to blog about all things that inspire me. Favorite recipes, fashion, decor (I’m redecorating – eeek!), favorite books, wedding plans etc.

So here’s to the future. Here’s to the strength, courage, drive, and perseverance it’s going to take to make this a success!